JetBlue considering ISP

[yankees368]

And we can now close this chapter.
______________________________________________
JetBlue unlikely to fly MacArthur soon

JetBlue Airlines, which had considered expanding to Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma, won't be flying out of the Suffolk County airport this year, the company's chief executive said Wednesday.

David Barger, president and chief executive, said a move to add flights to MacArthur is unlikely to happen in 2013, either.

Barger, speaking at the ribbon cutting for JetBlue's new corporate headquarters in Long Island City, said the airline's recent acquisition of flight slots at LaGuardia Airport in Queens means that the number of airplanes the airline has available to add more routes has dwindled.

"That impacts other places we want to fly to," Barger said.

At the end of 2011, JetBlue won an auction for slots at LaGuardia. Barger said the pricetag was $72 million.

Barger toured MacArthur in January with U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.). Airport officials, with Schumer's help, have been trying to woo the discount-fare carrier to the airport.

While complimenting airport operators, Barger said JetBlue won't be setting up shop anytime soon at MacArthur.

"I don't believe we'll do it in 2012, and even 2013 is difficult," Barger said.

JetBlue on Wednesday took the wraps off its new headquarters, which will house nearly 1,000 JetBlue workers. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other politicians were on hand to cut the ribbon.

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/s...soon-1.3642816

[yankees368]

And now we can reopen it, sort of
_____________________________________
Advocates reach out to Air Canada
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/n...nada-1.3649530
With confirmation JetBlue will not come to MacArthur Airport before 2014, local advocates are intensifying efforts to land Air Canada at the Islip Town facility.

The Long Island Association and the Jericho-based U.S. division of Purolator Inc., Canada's largest parcel and freight company, sent a joint letter last week to Calin Rovinescu, president and chief executive of Air Canada, urging him to set up a Long Island-Toronto route.

The letter, signed by Purolator president John Costanzo and LIA chief Kevin Law, pledges the "full support" of the Long Island business community. Purolator would benefit from reduced costs and added convenience if it could fly out of MacArthur rather than New York City, they wrote.

Air Canada executives could not be reached for comment.

Canada is the U.S. and Long Island's largest trading partner, Law said. New York State's two-way trade with Canada was worth $34.8 billion in 2011, U.S. Census data show.

MacArthur-Toronto air service also makes business sense for Air Canada, the letter says. The carrier would realize greater efficiencies in takeoff and departure timing flying from MacArthur's less congested airspace, cutting delay times and fuel costs.

"The arrival of Air Canada at MacArthur Airport would spur economic development, create jobs and offer convenience and new destinations for Long Island's families and businesses," Law said. Toronto is one of the largest international airports in Canada, with service to many European and Asian countries. It is also a pre-cleared U.S. Customs post.

MacArthur's own research shows 58 percent of international travelers in the airport's immediate catchment area of 1.8 million people already fly to Canada. (There are 2.5 million people within 40 miles of the airport.)

In October, two senior Air Canada executives toured MacArthur with town officials.

Afterward, officials were upbeat, saying Vijay Bathija, the airline's Montreal-based senior director of network planning, made it clear the carrier wants to establish its 60th U.S.-Canada route. In the Northeast, Air Canada flies to Boston, Albany, Rochester, Syracuse, Allentown, Pa., and LaGuardia.

MacArthur's bid to lure the Canadian carrier, however, could be complicated by Air Canada's reaction to its chief rival WestJet, aviation analysts say.

WestJet recently won eight takeoff-landing slot pairs at LaGuardia, and as a result, Air Canada may look to beef up its service from the NYC airport to compete, possibly delaying its decision on MacArthur.

Andrew Vasey, an Indianapolis-based aviation consultant, said, "As solid as MacArthur's business case is, sometimes airlines have to react quickly to their competition's moves, resulting in changes, even to their immediate plans."

Costanzo said 468,000 jobs in the United States are supported by the two countries' trading partnership, and his Long Island-based division's largest customers included Olympus, Motorola, Henry Schein and Canon, all large Long Island employers.

"Our saying is 'Purolator delivers Canada,' and so we support any company willing to join us to strengthen service on this hugely significant trade link between New York and Canada," he said

[NIKV69]

Likley to never happen. Year round flights would not make enough money to make a move there worth it. People will just go to JFK or fly WN to Florida to snowbird it.

[Art at ISP]

As much as we'd like to see it, there is no business case for any airline with adequate rights at JFK or LGA to come to ISP, despite our promises to use it. Landing and use fees are very high, and you will note that Southwest came here and built it up when it couldn't (or wouldn't) go to LGA--now that this has changed, they don't need ISP any more. There just is not enough traffic. Although I would use it all the time, I am just one person....

I have discussed this with my friend in UA (then CO) management on a number of occasions, and he said the math just doesn't add up-yields would be too low, even with full loads.
He did say at one point they'd look again at the Q400 to IAD or CLE, but even now, with Colgan folding their Q service, that's out of the question.

[mirrodie]

Some up to reports of no rail service on the RonkOnkoma branch due to car crash.

And that Is why no reputable airline with a solid logistics and planning guy would not opt f

[mirrodie]

For service there. The rail service is not solid there.

[yankees368]

Well, I guess service kind of has to be suspended when an unlicensed car driver drives onto the tracks and smashes the 3rd rail. That can happen anywhere.

[mirrodie]

Well, I guess service kind of has to be suspended when an unlicensed car driver drives onto the tracks and smashes the 3rd rail.


That can happen anywhere.

Really, you guess? Your sarcasm aside, it NEVER happens on the Babylon line. dual track and elevated. You could have better service run with a shuttle to the closest rail due south of MacArthur, which I believe is Islip, than on the KO(Ronkonkoma) line.

[yankees368]

Really, you guess? Your sarcasm aside, it NEVER happens on the Babylon line. dual track and elevated. You could have better service run with a shuttle to the closest rail due south of MacArthur, which I believe is Islip, than on the KO(Ronkonkoma) line.

I do agree that the Babylon line is probably more reliable, but I hardly think that the LIRR would be the reason an airline would not start service at ISP. How many people really take the train to the airport vs. driving anyway.

[steve1840]

I do agree that the Babylon line is probably more reliable, but I hardly think that the LIRR would be the reason an airline would not start service at ISP. How many people really take the train to the airport vs. driving anyway.

My guess would be the same people that take the train to work and home everyday out on the island. Or at least a good chunk of those people. I'm sure the number is somewhere higher than you would think.

[mirrodie]

I do agree that the Babylon line is probably more reliable, but I hardly think that the LIRR would be the reason an airline would not start service at ISP. How many people really take the train to the airport vs. driving anyway.

Not sure. You'd have to ask my partner as well as other Airtrain users.

But for years, people keep talking about making ISP this great airport with such ease of access into Manhattan. If that is one of the main reasons to use ISP and choose it, it will never happen. The KO line would need to be elevated and double trackage through the main would be needed.

[yankees368]

I really wish that ISP would gain some traffic, but I just do not see it happening. Really a shame that it probably won't ever happen.

[mirrodie]

Holy crap... I guess someone got my telepathic note...

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=95856&sid=f2afe2f57376028cadb 6729a40746ca7

[Matt Molnar]

$138 million for 12.5 miles of track? Since this is the MTA we're talking about, I don't see them getting more than 1/2 a mile before running out of cash.